The Will of The Medafighter
by Asuka's Knight
Summary: A young Medafighter from another country arrives in Japan in preperation for the WRC. Things heat up as he and Erika fall in love. But a deep secret lurks within the medal of his Medabot. It is this secret that places Erika's life in danger...
1. A new Medafighter's in town

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The Will Of The Medafighter 

A Medabots fanfic written by Dark Knight Bahamut 

Chapter one: A new Medafighter's in town

A knock on the door made Mrs Tenrio look up from where she was preparing breakfast. Wiping her hands on a towel, she opened it.

"Good morning Erika, morning Brass."

"Morning Mrs T, is Ikki around?"

"He's still sleeping, but I can fix you a snack while you wait."

"No, I'll go wake him. We're going to be late for the battle." Erika stomped up the stairs with Brass on her heels. Mrs Tenrio smiled and went back to the kitchen.

"That girl, always on the go. I wish Ikki was a little more energetic."

Erika opened the door to Ikki's room and stepped inside. Ikki was sprawled out on his bed, snoring. Metabee was lying against the wall in low power mode. Brass looked up at her Medafighter.

"Well Erika, what should we do?"

"This!" She stepped forward and pulled all the blankets off Ikki's bed, before tipping over the mattress. Ikki landed with a thump on the floor. He looked up sleepily.

"What do you want mom?"

"Ikki, c'mon! We're missing the tournament."

"Two more minutes…" A small vein pulsed along Erika's temple. She whispered to Brass,

"Fill up the bathtub with cold water." Brass complied and Erika dragged a sleeping Ikki into the bathroom. With some heaving, she pushed him into the freezing water. The reaction was instantaneous.

"Ahh, cold! Erika, are you crazy!?" 

"Ikki, do you remember that today is the unofficial neighbourhood tournament?"

"It is!? How long do I have to get ready?" 

"Ten minutes, but at least I saved you a bath." She followed him back into his room and watched as he reactivated Metabee, who jumped up.

"Dude, you ready to go kick some bot?"

"Yeah, I just need to get dressed…" He stared at Erika and Brass.

"What? You're wasting time?"

"Do you usually stand around and watch guys get dressed?" They took the point and waited downstairs.

Ikki came down the stairs five minutes later. His mom gestured to the kitchen table.

"Morning dear. I made bacon, eggs and sausages." Ikki's mouth watered but he didn't get a chance to eat. Erika dragged him out through the door by his collar.

"It's okay Mrs Tenrio, we'll get a hotdog at the park." The two and their Medabots made their way to the park. Every second month, the kids in their neighbourhood organised a small tournament in the park. These battles were just for fun, and weren't counted in the Robattle rankings. When they got there, the first match was already in full swing. Kenji and his Dracobot were squaring off against Samantha and her Peppercat. Peppercat won by outflanking Dracobot and using her Shock attack. Ikki and Erika bought their hotdogs and sat down on the steps. Metabee noticed something strange and tapped Ikki on the shoulder.

"Yo Ikki, isn't that that Ainsley chick over there?"

"Yeah, it is her. Seems she's getting out more since she forgot about that tree." Erika wiped the mustard off her mouth and also looked.

"I'd be more interested in knowing who that guy talking to her is." The guy in question was tall, probably six foot-one. He had grey eyes and his hair was tied back in a ponytail. He wore a black shirt and a pair of blue jeans. At the moment, he seemed to be telling a joke since Ainsley was giggling behind her hand. They said goodbye, and the strange kid looked over in their direction. Then, he started walking their way…

Ikki stiffened slightly as he drew closer and looked to Metabee.

"Who is that guy?" 

"Maybe he's Ainsley's boyfriend and heard how you had called her a tree obsessed weirdo before."

"But that's ancient history, and I wasn't the only one. He can't be her boyfriend, she must be eight or nine years older than him." He stopped in front of them, and Erika swallowed her last bit of hotdog with difficulty.

"Are you Ikki Tenrio, the third ranked Medafighter in Japan?"

"Yes I am. What do you want?"

"A robattle with you. An official one."

"You don't want to robattle Ikki. I'd be more of a challenge." Ikki and the unknown kid turned and spotted Koji behind them. He had Karin by his side.

"And just who might you be to say that?"

"I'm Koji, the number two Medafighter in Japan!" 

"Very well. I accept your challenge. Ikki, I'll battle you after this."

"THEN, IT'S AGREED!" Mister Referee climbed out of the nearby fountain and straightened his clothes.

"I hereby declare this an official submission robattle, conforming to all the rules of the Medabot Federation. Medafighters ready?" Larry grinned and pushed a button on his Medawatch. His Medabot appeared before him. Ikki, Erika and Metabee stared.

"Is that a…" His watch showed the statistics of the Medabot.

Metabee (Sheena) 

Hercules Beetle Type Medabot

Medafighter: Larry

Speciality: Shooting/Seeker Missiles/Healing

"Unreal…There's more than one of me?" Larry grinned and signalled that he was ready. Koji and Sumillidon nodded as well.

"MEDABOTS…ROBATTLE!" 

"Sumillidon, attack!" Sumillidon sped forward to attack, raising his Flexor Sword to punch Metabee.

"Sheena, show him that there's strength in numbers." There was a split second, and then three identical Metabees stood next to each other. Sumillidon tried to swipe one, but it disappeared. Koji swore quietly.

"Holograms! But Metabee shouldn't be able to do that. Sumillidon, Ground Punch." He slammed down his fist into the ground and it cracked towards the two Metabees. Both vanished, and there was nothing around. 

"Sheena, now! Laser Cannon!" Sheena appeared from behind Sumillidon and blasted his unprotected back legs. Koji's Medawatch beeped.

"Warning! Leg parts damaged 85%" Koji racked his mind for a strategy and came up with one.

"Use the Shadow Sword." Sumillidon disappeared and reappeared behind Sheena. He let loose with two claw slashes and a slam that sent Sheena into the ground. Larry's Medawatch showed the damage summary.

"Warning! Left arm damaged 90%. Body damaged 75%. Laser cannon inoperable." Larry seemed concerned, but then smiled.

"Sheena, healing power!" A green light surrounded Sheena and repaired all his damage. She retaliated with a left hook that sent Sumillidon skidding over the playground. 

"Finish him, Seeker missiles!" Two puffs of smoke emitted from Metabee's launchers and the missiles struck home. Sumillidon's medal ejected, and fell to the ground.

"FUNCTION CEASED, THE WINNER IS…SHEENA!" Koji shook Larry's hand.

"Good match. How does your robot do that? If I remember correctly, only Mermaid types can heal themselves."

"Just a little customisation I carried out. You weren't so bad yourself. That Shadow Sword almost got me. I suppose I'll be seeing you in the World Tournament."

"You're going?"

"Yep, I'm the number one ranked Medafighter in South Africa." Koji and Karin went to sit in the stands to watch the rest of the tournament. Ikki turned to the kid.

"Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Larry. Pleased to meet you." Metabee poked his Medabot in the stomach.

"Yo, why so quiet dude? Scared of battling me?" The other Metabee turned to him, and he noticed that its eyes were blue instead of green.

"No…And I'd be careful of getting overconfident Bee boy. If that guy was number two, you should be easier than recharging my battery."

"Why you! That guy was nothing, I can use the Medaforce!"

"Yeah, well so can I." Metabee only noticed that the other Medabot had a different voice.

"Hey, you're a female Medabot!"

"Well spotted Sherbot Holmes, what clued you in?"

Today's Robattle. Sheena defeats Sumillidon and acquires his legs. 


	2. A chat with Doctor Akki

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The Will Of The Medafighter

Chapter two: A chat with doctor Akki.

Erika jumped off the bench and shoved Ikki out of the way.

"I'm a reporter for the Isatormi Junior High paper. Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Later. First, me and Ikki have to Robattle." Just then, Larry's cellphone rang and he turned away.

"Yeah…Yeah…They are? Okay, I'll be right over." He turned to Ikki and shrugged.

"Who was that?"

"The police. Someone broke into my house. Sorry Ikki, I'll have to cancel our match. See you." Larry started walking away when…

"It must be pretty important, I've never known you to give up on a battle." A caped figure stood balanced on the jungle gym. He leapt down in front the three. Ikki recognised him instantly.

"Space Medafighter X!"

"Yes. The tournament is only a week away. You ready Ikki?"

"I sure am. Do you know this guy?" Larry looked at Space Medafighter X and scratched his head.

"Yeah, he knows me. He trained me and Sheena a long time ago."

"Larry, do you still have that Melded Metal?"

"Hey, that's supposed to be a secret! I don't want the whole world knowing." Metabee looked at Ikki.

"You Ikki, what's a Melded Metal?"

"I have no idea what it is. Maybe they'll tell us." But there was no one around. Space Medafighter X had already disappeared and Larry was walking into the distance with Sheena. Erika shouted after him.

"What about my story!?"

"Come to my house at seven. I'll give you the interview then." Lightning flashed overhead and drops began to fall, making the kids run for home. Ikki was troubled.

"Erika, have you ever heard of a Melded Medal?"

"Can't say I have. Maybe you should go ask Doctor Akki." 

"Yeah, I will. Coming Metabee?"

"I think I'll sit it out buddy. I'm going to meditate a bit, see if I can find my inner peace."

"Say what?"

"Rokusho told me that when you find your inner peace, you will find your hidden potential."

"Umm, okay. Just get home before nine."

Larry and Sheena walked home in the light drizzle, watching the cars go by. Suddenly, three Medabots stood before them. If Larry had been with Ikki, he would have recognised them.

Gobanko

Samurai Type Medabot

Medafighter: Squidguts-RubberRobo Gang

Speciality: Hand to hand combat

Gokudo 

Ninja Type Medabot

Medafighter: Shrimplips-RubberRobo Gang

Speciality: Stretch Punch

White Sword

Samurai Type Medabot

Medafighter: Seaslug-RubberRobo Gang

Speciality: Sword Attacks

"Alright kid, hold it right there!" The four members of the RubberRobo gang emerged from behind the tree. Seaslug eyed Sheena, his glasses flashing.

"So, this is that famous foreign Medafighter? Too bad he didn't leave his Medabot at home, it would've saved us a lot of trouble."

"You clowns are the ones who broke into my house?"

"We sure did. I'm sure that you, as the number one ranked Medafighter from South Australia, have a rare medal in your robot."

"So what if I do? And I'm from South Africa."

"I couldn't care if you were from the Antarctic. Just hand over your medal." Larry and Sheena stared at them for a split second, before falling over laughing. As they rolled around on the wet grass, Shrimplips took over.

"You think it's funny? Alright then, we'll decide this with a Robattle." The two stood up, and Larry glanced at Sheena.

"You ready for this?" Sheena punched with one fist into the palm of her other hand.

"I'm always ready. These costumed jokers won't know what hit them." Gillgirl tapped Seaslug on the shoulder and pointed to his Medawatch.

"Umm, Seaslug. Did you notice that this Metabee can use Healing as well?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"But, aren't Mermaid types supposed to be the only ones capable of doing that?" 

"Probably a glitch. That thing has the attitude of A KBT type Medabot, so I'm not worried. Let's get it on." 

"THEN, IT'S AGREED!" Mister Referee appeared in the branches of the tree and jumped down, slipping in the puddles of rain. He stood up, rubbing his butt.

"MEDAFIGHTERS READY? MEDABOTS…ROBATTLE!!"

All three enemy Medabots attacked Sheena at once, and she did well. In the first two minutes, she had knocked Gobanko and White Sword out of the battle, leaving her with Gokudo. She was weaker now, since the attacks from the three had worn her out to a certain degree. Larry cast his eyes over the damage summary.

Head: 67%

Left Arm: 66%

Left Leg: 75%

Right Arm: 70%

Right Leg: 60%

Laser Cannon: Functioning

Missile Launchers: Left Launcher offline.

"Sheena, healing power!" The same light surrounded her and fixed the damage. As she prepared to attack Gokudo, a sword struck her from the side and sent her tumbling over. White Sword and Gobanko stood next to Gokudo.

"What? I knocked you two out of the battle!" Seaslug let out that weird laugh that he always did when things were going his way.

"Well, guess you're bite doesn't live up to your bark. Take her down now." The battle seemed to get more and more hopeless. Everytime Sheena knocked two out of the battle, they returned undamaged. She finally ran out of Healing power and Larry was going to call it off. Suddenly, a white blur flashed past and sliced through the hedge on the side of the road to shreds. When Larry saw what was behind it, he became angry. There were probably ten more of each of the RubberRobo's Medabots. Each time Sheena had stopped one from functioning, they sent in another one. Mister Referee waved his finger at the RubberRobos. 

"That is cheating. You lose this match." 

"We don't think so. Goodbye." Three other RubberRobos appeared next to him and stopped a taxi before throwing him inside. All four of them lifted their sleeves to show ten medawatches. 

"Okay kid, this is the score. We've got forty Medabots against this crummy, dented Metabee. Hand over the medal peacefully, or we'll crush her and take it anyways. Sheena stood up, battered and bruised, but still functioning. 

"Crummy!? Dented!? That's it!"

"Sheena, these guys insulted us and they're cheating us. Let's show them." 

"You got it. Here's a little present, compliments of the Rare Medal!" A burst of light covered Sheena for an instant and when it cleared, she was surrounded in an aura of blue energy, which cracked and sparked around her.

"When I see red, you see blue. A very painful colour combination. MEDAFORCE!!" She brought down her Laser cannon and a huge blast of blue energy struck all forty of the enemy Medabots. The clinking of ejected medals became deafening. Squidguts scratched his head and looked at the pile of defeated Medabots before him.

"Should we start running now?" Gillgirl and Seaslug looked at each other and smiled mysteriously.

"Thanks you hunk of tin. I thought you'd use that, so we brought a back-up."

"Yes, meet Felynx." A spotted leopard shaped Medabot landed in front of the weakened Sheena.

Felynx

Leopard Type Medabot

Medafighter: Gillgirl-RubberRobo Gang

Speciality: Claw Punch

Felynx lifted her claw and struck Sheena to the floor.

"Warning. All other Medaparts 100% damage. Head 96% damage. Cessation of function imminent." Before Felynx could deliver the final blow, the same white blur knocked her away. Larry looked on in amazement, as the white shape became a Medabot. Strangely enough, with a parrot on his shoulder. Seaslug cursed slightly.

"Rokusho? Get out of here, this doesn't concern you."

"Striking a downed opponent after cheating to weaken them is dishonourable. It also…Makes me angry!" The parrot flew into a nearby tree and Rokusho pulled off his cape, before a shining light struck him as well. He was covered in a purple aura and stood in front of Sheena.

"Feel the wrath of my sword RubberRobos, and tell your master that I will pay him back for Professor Hushi. MEDAFORCE!" He swept his sword along the ground and a wave of purple energy blasted Felynx into the nearby tree. Her medal popped out and the RubberRobos stared in horror. 

"Our plan has gone to pieces! There's only one thing left to do…RUN AWAY!" 

Larry ran over to Sheena and inserted the spare power pack he carried around with him, so she could heal herself. He turned to Rokusho, who had Baton on his shoulder.

"Thank you. You're Rokusho huh? I heard about you from Ainsley."

"How is she?"

"She's doing great. And between the two of us, I think she's got a new boyfriend."

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm off. Oh, and protect that rare medal." Rokusho then walked off down the lane and Sheena sat down beneath the tree.

"Larry, you head on home without me. I want to look around for a while."

"Okay. Remember that if you're not back by ten, I'm coming to look for you." Larry stood up and went back to his house where he started raiding the fridge for any food in it.

"You stupid idiots! Even with forty Medabots, you still fail to bring me a Rare Medal!" The leader of the RubberRobos screeched on the TV. The four quaked in their boots and shoved Shrimplips forward to explain.

"Well, you see O beloved leader…We were interrupted by Rokusho before Felynx could finish that Metabee."

"But that means you had to fall back to Plan B. Are you telling me that one KBT type could beat forty Medabots? Even with the Medaforce, that is impossible!"

"But my leader, the Metabee could heal itself!"

"WHAT!? Don't be absurd Shrimplips. KBT Types can't do that…Unless. Yes, it must be. It's the Melded Medal. You must bring it to me now. Failure will result in immediate liquidation!" The four snapped to attention and exited. When they got outside, Seaslug looked at the others.

"You hear that? We are to retrieve the Melded Medal!"

"But Seaslug, what is a melded Medal?"

"A Melded Medal you say?" Doctor Akki scratched his chin thoughtfully and turned to Ikki.

"That's right. And Larry seemed pretty hacked off when Space Medafighter X mentioned it."

"I could imagine. You see Ikki, the Melded Medal is supposed to only be a legend. Contrary to the rare medals, it has never been found."

"But what is it supposed to do doctor?" Doctor Akki punched a few keys on the keyboard and brought up a display screen.

"Well, the rare medals are the first medals ever discovered, and it is from them that we clone the mass-production medals. According to ancient writings found, the Melded Medal is the origin of the rare medals. It is the amalgamation of a Hercules Beetle and a Mermaid medal. It is said to be more powerful than all the rare medals combined."

"Hey wait! Sheena was able to heal herself!"

"Maybe it's just a case of he put a Mermaid Medal in a Metabee body?"

"No, the attitude and battle characteristics were like Metabee's." Ikki stood up and went to exit the office. Just then, Doctor Akki called him back.

"You said that he wanted to Robattle you?"

"Yeah. I mean it's kinda scary that he's the number one Medafighter from his country, but I'm up to it."

"I hope so. Larry Linford isn't just ranked number one in South Africa, but he's also ranked second in the world." Ikki's mouth dropped open, before he fell flat on his back. Recovering, he said goodbye to Doctor Akki and left. Doctor Akki stared at the screen in deep thought. _If that is true, I'll have Henry and Rokusho keep an eye on him. _

Today's Robattle. Sheena defeats the RubberRobo gang with the Medaforce and some help from Rokusho.


	3. Interviews, searches and Love?

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The Will Of The Medafighter

Chapter three: Interviews, Searches and…Love?

Erika stood on the porch of Larry's house, camera in hand, notebook in her back pocket and plenty of spare film in her overall's front pouch. _This is great! Erika, first reporter to get an interview with the second ranked Medafighter in the world. They'd better break out the Pulitzer, cause I'm a shoe-in._ She rang the bell and waited. The door opened and there stood Larry, dressed in his boxers and a black T-shirt. Erika and Larry went red, and Erika turned around.

"Would you mind putting on some pants?" 

"Yeah, just give me a minute." A minute later, he had put on a pair of blue jeans and ushered her inside. The house looked remarkably clean, almost as if Mrs Tenrio did the cleaning. A massive 95-inch Plasma television and three couches took up the living room. On the one couch was a blanket and a pillow.

"Sorry about that. I'd completely lost track of the time when I got home, so I ate what was left in the fridge and took a nap. Have you eaten yet?" Erika's stomach answered for itself with a low growl, and she looked embarrassed. Larry smiled, before his stomach did the same. The two grinned and Larry pulled his phone closer.

"Pizza okay?"

"Sure, just hold the onions, gherkins and the Anchovies." 

"Okay, we've got to wait for twenty minutes. How about starting the interview."

Erika sat on the couch opposite him and pulled out her notepad.

"Let's start from the beginning. How old were you when you started Robattling? "

"Fourteen. I've been doing it for two years now."

"Do you have any girlfriends?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm doing an expose on you, so I need a lot of details about your personal life."

"No, I don't have one at the moment."

"Are you looking for one?"

"Maybe." The interview continued for another twenty minutes. When the pizza arrived, Erika knew Larry's birthdate, zodiac sign, favourite colour and many other things. They then ate the pizza while watching a late night horror movie. When there was only one piece left, they both reached for it at the same time and they accidentally gripped each other's hands. They went red again and pulled their hands apart, albeit slightly reluctantly.

The movie wasn't very scary, so Larry switched over to the Scary Movie cable network. They were showing reruns of twentieth century thrillers and horrors. He was just in time to see the start of the "Blair Witch Project" He had seen it about twenty times, so it wasn't creepy at all. Erika was majorly freaked out however. As the movie went on, she started shaking and suddenly grabbed Larry's hand and almost crushed his fingers.

"This is freaky…I'm scared."

"Calm down Erika, it's only a movie." But she didn't and was glued to the screen. Suddenly, a loud crash made her leap into Larry's lap and she clung to his neck.

"Ahh, what was that?"

"Only thunder. Listen, there's one heavy rainstorm coming this way." The rain pounded down on the roof of the house and Erika sighed. Larry tried to keep his heart from jumping into his throat, but he couldn't help himself anymore. He gently kissed Erika on her mouth, and was surprised when she returned it. Slowly, they kissed and allowed themselves to explore each other's mouths. After five minutes, Erika laid her head down on Larry's chest and he held her close to him.

"Erika…"

"Yes?"

"We'll have to change your story."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm not looking for a girlfriend anymore. I've got her right in front of me." Erika planted one more kiss on his cheek, and that is how they fell asleep. Larry's arms around Erika's back and waist, and Erika's arms around his neck with her head on his chest. Both had smiles on their faces.

Sheena strolled through an old construction site, thinking about the World Championship. As she passed a crane, she heard a voice call her.

"Yo, Sheena!" Looking up, she spotted the other Metabee from before. She felt slightly lonely, and leapt up to join him.

"Well hi there Bee boy. I'm touched that you remember my name."

"I always remember the name of someone who owes me a Robattle. So, did you find out who the robbers were?"

"Yes. Four weirdos dressed in rubber tuxedos. They tried to get my medal by cheating, and would've succeeded if it wasn't for Rokusho."

"Rokusho, you mean he's back in town?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm sitting out here. He was always calm and composed, so I'm trying it to psyche me up for the World Championship. Where's your Medafighter?" She knocked him on the side of the head with her fist.

"He is NOT my Medafighter, he's my friend. I told him to go on without me, since I wanted to have a look around."

"There's something I want to ask you. Do you have a Melded Medal?"

"Yes I do. What do you care?"

"Mind telling me what it is?"

"Neither me nor Larry really know. It's supposed to be stronger than all the rare medals combined, but all I've been able to use so far is the Medaforce." They talked for hours on end, until Metabee noticed the time.

"Hey! I've got to get home, it's almost nine."

"You have a curfew?"

"Yeah, don't you?"

"No. I'm supposed to be home by ten, but Larry knows I can take care of myself. Mind me going over to your place? I'm bored stiff."

"Sure. Ikki won't mind, and neither will his mom."

Just as they reached the front door, a huge typhoon-like rainstorm started. Metabee opened the door and took her inside. Mrs Tenrio was busy washing up in the kitchen. She spotted the two and greeted them.

"Evening Metabee, who's your friend?"

"My name is Sheena ma'am. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"Oh heavens no. If you're looking for Ikki, he's in the living room." The two found Ikki playing games. Sheena swept her eyes over the consoles and spotted a familiar one in the corner.

"Whoa! That's one of those old SNES. Where'd you get it?"

"My great-grandfather left it to me, but I've only got one game and Metabee is a master at that." Metabee thumped his chest proudly and held his head high.

"I am the ultimate Dragonball Z Hyper Dimension player!"

"I don't think so. How about a match, right now?"

"You're on!" They loaded up the game and the versus match started with Sheena choosing Goku and Metabee choosing Gohan. 

"You're going down dude, no-one has ever beaten Gohan." 

"We'll see…We'll see." The match started off pretty evenly, and continued in that fashion until the end. Sheena had been knocked down to red energy and Metabee still had 7/8 of his lifebar. Suddenly, Goku started smacking the stuffing out of Gohan and knocked him to the floor.

"Eat Spirit Bomb!" A few explosions later, and Sheena had won. Metabee threw his controller down in disgust.

"Man, who thought you'd pull a Desperation move on me?"

"Uno mass?"

"You bet your Medaparts we're going for another one."

The two continued to play until after eleven. By now, Ikki was starting to doze off and his mom was sitting, watching the match and drinking coffee. The rainstorm was still going strong and huge chunks of hail had begun falling. So the last thing they were expecting was the doorbell ringing. Ikki stood up sleepily and opened the door.

"Brass!? What are you doing here?"

"Ikki…Erika is…Missing." Sheena and Metabee switched off the console and rushed over to the door. Brass was having trouble standing up, and she had small dents and scratches in her armour from running through the hail. Ikki put her down on the couch and waited. A few minutes later, she appeared to function normally.

"Alright Brass. What was this about Erika being missing?"

"She put me into recharge mode when we got back from the park. When I woke up, she was gone and had left me a note. It said that she had gone to get the biggest story in her life and that she couldn't bear to wake me up. She said that she would be home by eight and it's past eleven."

"She probably went to interview Larry. Sheena, how far is your house?"

"About five blocks. We can make it in eight minutes. Five if we really floor it." 

"But we'd get knocked to pieces in this hail before we got there. What do we do?" As they were deciding on this, the news came on.

__

"The heavy rainstorm that has been pounding Southern Japan for a while now will clear for five minutes at half past eleven. If you have any urgent business, now is the time to do it." Brass jumped off the couch and opened the door. Ikki woke his mom and told her what was going on. She allowed him to go out, and then fell asleep before they were out of the door.

"Come on slowpokes, we've got three minutes!" Sheena and Brass were a good three feet ahead of Ikki and Metabee.

"Man, those two can move."

"Tell me about it. I've seen some fast Medabots, but they take the cake." They reached Larry's house just as the thunder crashed overhead and the rain poured overhead. Ikki tried to open the door. It was locked. Sheena pushed him out of the way and dug something out from her armour. She pulled out a key and unlocked the door, pointing them inside. There was screaming from the living room, and Brass immediately ran in.

"Hold on Erika, I'll save…you." Ikki and the two Medabots followed her and when they got inside, the TV was showing a rerun of Scream three. But what surprised them even more was what was on the couch. Their reactions were different. Brass was content with just staring in amazement. Metabee made that strange "Chi-Chi-Chi" sound he made when he was angry or excited. Sheena slapped her forehead and dragged her hand over her face. Ikki simply sweatdropped. Sheena finally stirred and took them out. 

"You can't get home in this weather. Ikki can take Larry's room since he won't want to move tonight. Bee boy and Steel can share my room." Now it was Brass's turn to sweatdrop.

"My name is Brass."

"Whatever. C'mon, let's leave those two alone."

Today's Robattle. Larry wins Erika using a scary movie and extra large pizza.


	4. The RubberRobo Gang Strikes!

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The Will Of The Medafighter

Chapter Four: The RubberRobo Gang strikes!

Larry woke up to the sound of his electric wristwatch's beeping. He looked around drowsily, lightly slid out from under Erika, and went into the kitchen. Sheena was already on her usual place, sitting on the counter. She handed him a cup of coffee.

"Hey Larry. Sleep well?"

"Like a rock. What time did you get back?"

"About half past eleven last night. I take it the interview went well." Larry reddened and tried to change the topic.

"This coffee is great. You're one of the only Medabots I know who can brew a good cup." Sheena spotted this dodge. She had been with Larry for more than two years now, and she could read him like a book. If she had any eyebrows, she would have raised the left one slightly like he did whenever he knew something was up. So she contented herself with folding her arms.

"Thanks. Your friends think so too." 

"My friends…" Sheena's eyes rounded in amusement and nodded in the direction of the table. Larry turned and he promptly dropped the cup and his jaw as well. Ikki sat at the table, a cup of coffee in hand and staring at him with slight smile on his face. Next to him was Metabee, who looked ready to burst out laughing. But it was the Medabot opposite Metabee that surprised him most. He had only glanced at the Sailor-Multi type briefly during his talk with Ikki in the park. That same Medabot was now staring at him with slightly narrowed eyes. He snapped out of it and stared at Sheena.

"When did they get here?"

"Thy came with me last night. Your girlfriend's Medabot came to Ikki's house in a flap, yelling about Erika going missing. So, like the good pilgrims we were, the three of us came here with her during a brief lull in the storm."

"Sheena…Can you make me another cup of coffee?" She jumped and slapped him on the back.

"Fine, but you owe me then." Larry sat down at the table while Sheena made him some more coffee. Ikki drank down the last of his.

"So, you and Erika are dating?"

"Maybe. We haven't even talked about it yet. And you, what's so funny?" Metabee couldn't keep it in anymore, and fell on the kitchen floor.

"Man, I can't believe it! Erika…Having a boyfriend!" 

"And what's so funny about that?" Metabee stopped laughing the moment he heard that voice, a slight fear growing. Erika was standing in the doorway, with a look of extreme annoyance on her face. She kissed Larry on the cheek and pulled Ikki up by his ear.

"First off, teach your Medabot some manners. Secondly, we've got to go to the school. I need this interview ready to go on Monday. Larry, can I ask you to take care of Brass for me?"

"Yeah sure. Why?"

"It'll only take a while, so she doesn't have to go running all over the place with me."

"On one condition. You take Sheena with you. She wants some exercise, but I've got to do some part modifying to do today." Larry went with them to the porch, and only Brass remained. She quietly spoke to herself.

"But what if I wanted to run around with you…?"

Erika, Ikki, Metabee and Sheena walked off down the street to their school. They were unaware however, of the four pairs of eyes watching them from a roof.

"So Seaslug, you're sure this plan will work?"

"Don't sweat it Shrimplips, I've seen it on enough movies. Larry and Sheera, or whatever her name is, are too strong to take on physically. But, we must strike at their mental weaknesses."

"But Seaslug, don't the heroes usually rescue the girl after beating the bad guys to a bloody pulp?"

"It won't happen here. Squidguts, Gillgirl, ready?" They nodded, and the next moment, a huge fishing net landed on Erika. Before Ikki or the two Medabots could do something, the net was hoisted up and loaded onto Rumblejet, a flying Medabot. As they wanted to run after him, two other Rumblejets blocked their way. 

Rumblejet

Jet Type Medabot

Medafighter: RubberRobo Gang

Speciality: Flying

The four RubberRobos dropped down in front of them.

"Uh-uh-uh, no following the jet. Hey you, where's your Medafighter?" 

"That's none of your business. Now bring Erika back!" Ikki stepped closer, and began to prepare himself for the inevitable battle that lay ahead.

"Why did you take her?"

"Easy. To get at Larry. We'll swap him his girlfriend for his Melded Medal."

"How'd you know about that? I only found out this morning!"

"By bugging him. You should've seen their first kiss, it was so romantic. Well, while we're here, we might as well take your Rare Medal. She can go, because we need her to tell Larry about the ransom." Sheena's emotions boiled over and she shook her fist at the RubberRobos.

"You no-good-cheating-lying bags of dirt! First you cheat at robattles, and now you turn to kidnap? You take them on, you'll have to fight me as well."

"That's great. We'll just pound on you for a while, and then finish Metabee." Ikki crouched next to Sheena.

"Can you robattle without Larry?"

"Yes, but not to the best of my abilities. I've sent a distress signal to his Medawatch, and with any luck he'll be here in a few minutes…"

Larry was crouched over a workbench in the garage of his house. With sweat dripping down the sides of his face, he soldered the last part down. He lifted the Medapart off the bench and examined it carefully. He had made some adjustments to Sheena's left Laser Cannon, and it was now able to fire EMP pellets. This would come in useful with disrupting any Seeker type weapons. Brass was sitting on the seat of his motorcycle and staring at the arm. Earlier, she had grilled him about what had happened the previous night, and he told her. She was finally happy and started taking an interest in his building. Larry held the part out to her.

"Want to try it?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, don't be shy. Sheena's parts should fit in well with yours." Larry quickly transported the part and Brass fired a few rounds at the targets lying around. With some reluctance, she let Larry take it back. He then tried some other parts on her. Their testing was interrupted by Larry's Medawatch. One look at the message, and his face went grave.

"What is it?"

"Ikki, Sheena and Metabee are in trouble. They've been attacked by the RubberRobos. Ever ride a motorbike before?"

"No." 

"Well, it's time to learn. Let's go." Larry grabbed Brass by her arm and put her on the back of his bike. He then opened the door and raced to the origin of Sheena's signal…

"They're too fast. Our shots aren't hitting them, and the seekers are too slow." Ikki looked on as Sheena and Metabee were being outmanoeuvred by the Rumblejets. Suddenly, the two launched huge volleys of missiles at the two Metabees. Neither could get out of the way fast enough, and Ikki grimaced as the explosion rocked the ground.

"Warning. Metabee- Left arm 80% damage. Sheena- Body 75% damage." 

"Sheena! Friendly fire manoeuvre!" Larry and Brass came skidding down the hill, and Sheena was never gladder to see Larry.

"Gotcha! Okay you flying tin cans, try and catch me!" Sheena rushed forward and dodged the second volley of missiles. She reached the two Rumblejets and leapt in between them. One fired, but Sheena was already out of harms way. Instead, his comrade got a taste of missiles and crashed to the ground. Seaslug and Shrimplips' faces fell as part of their plan started going down the tubes. Ikki saw that the other Rumblejet was preoccupied with trying to hit Sheena.

"Metabee, use your Seekers before he sees you."

"Booya! Missile Launch!" Two missiles launched from Metabee's launchers and struck the Rumblejet. It fell to the ground and its medal ejected as well. The RubberRobos ran away, but Seaslug shouted these last words.

"You've won this round kid, but we'll have the last laugh." 

Larry crouched next to Sheena and checked her damage.

"Hmm, you've been through worse than this. You'll survive. Umm, Ikki, where's Erika?"

"They took her!"

"WHAT!? Those freaks took her! Why?" Sheena knocked him on the head with her fist.

"How you get ninety percent at school, I'll never know. They want to swap her for my medal. If you don't hand it over in the next twenty-four hours…They'll kill her." Brass only heard snatches of the conversation, but the last part was clear enough for her. _But why involve her in all of this? No, it can't be because…_ Her eyes bore into Larry's back, and she felt the closest thing to anger and hate that a Medabot could feel. 

Larry rested his head against an old Oak tree next to the road. Within his mind, a tug of war of emotions was taking place. Either he gave away his best friend's soul, or he lost the girl who meant the world to him, even though they had known each other only two days.

"No. No. No. NO!" With each word, he pounded harder on the tree. With his final "NO!" his fist crashed into the tree. Even though it was more than four meters in diameter, it shook visibly and sent the nesting birds into the air. Then, he sank down to the ground, his back to the tree. Metabee tried cheering him up.

"Yo dude, come on! Those bozos can't be serious." Ikki joined in.

"Yeah. They've tried lot's of things before, but they won't stoop to murder." A rustle of bushes to their left made them look up. A RubberRobo jumped out and laughed.

"Oh, we will. The leader wants that medal, and he will do ANYTHING to get it. In fact, she's been crying for you all the way." Larry sprang up faster than anyone could see, and in a split second he had the RubberRobo pinned to the tree.

"Be glad that I'm a pacifist at heart. But my Medabot here isn't." Sheena stuck her laser cannon into his neck.

"That's right pal. I'm mentally unstable because Larry and me are big Bruce Willis fans. So, yippee-ki-yay MotherF…" 

"No please! Don't hurt me! I'm only a messenger." Larry calmed down slightly and loosened his grip on the RubberRobo's neck, only to hang him in one of the branches.

"Fine. Give me the message, before I let her loose on you."

"You have to go to the abandoned field that's ten miles out of town. Go there tomorrow night at eight o'clock." Larry pulled him down and threw him over the wall nearby. A vicious barking and growling was then heard from inside. As Larry turned around, Brass pushed Sheena and Metabee out of the way. She was shaking as her words came out.

"You. You got her involved in this! This is your fault." Metabee tried to calm her down by placing his hand on her shoulder. She grabbed it and with strength she had never revealed before, chucked him into the tree. 

"Hey! Your problem is with me, not with Metabee. And what should I have done?"

"Stayed in your own country. You should never have come here, or gotten near her. I hate you. I HATE YOU!!" Brass lifted her cannons and fired three rounds at Larry in pure rage. They would have met their target, but Sheena wasn't about to let Larry get hurt by a rabid female Medabot. She threw herself in front of him and the bullets ricocheted off her armour. She stood up and pointed both her laser cannons at Brass.

"Hold it right there Sailor Venus. Take one more shot and I will beat you to the ground!" Larry said nothing, and only stared hard at Brass. Brass and Sheena were now pointing their weapons at each other. Ikki and Metabee looked on nervously. Larry finally pushed Sheena out of the way. Then, he crouched in front Brass and lifted her laser cannon. Without flinching, he placed it on his forehead.

"There. If you still need to do it, who's stopping you? Sheena won't make it in time. Stay put Sheena!" Sheena had started moving towards the two. Now she stopped and looked on in horror. Brass held her gun there for another second, and then let it fall.

"I can't do it. But I still hate you."

"You do that. Just don't act like you're the only one who lost someone. I'll admit that it's partly my fault, but I'm not ashamed of what I did." Larry turned to Sheena and slapped her sharply on the back.

"Thanks Sheena. If Ikki can put you up for the night, I'd appreciate it." Ikki nodded.

"Sure. I still owe her for giving me a place to sleep last night. I only have one request."

"Name it."

"Can I see the medal that all this fuss is about?" 

"Okay. Sheena, mind if I deactivate you for a while?"

"Yeah. Just remember, they can look, but not touch." Larry shut her down and pulled out the medal. He carefully handed it to Ikki. Ikki was amazed. He had never seen a medal like it. The top of the medal was like Metabee's, a Hercules Beetle. But the bottom part belonged to a Mermaid medal. The back of the medal was scratched and looked like acid had been poured over it. He handed it back to Larry, who reactivated Sheena. Then, he got on his motorbike and left…

Brass felt completely stupid because of her outburst. 

"Sheena…"

"What do you want?"

"Where did he go? I want to go apologise to him."

"How do I know you won't try to knock him out without me around?"

"Because I had the chance and I didn't. I understand that he feels like I do about losing Erika, maybe even worse. Please."

"Fine. He's at the Medabot Corporation." Sheena told her where to find it and watched as Brass ran off. 

"C'mon Bee boy. I need some training, and you and your friend don't have anything else to do. You just might learn some new tricks." She stepped off on the direction of Ikki's house. Metabee was shaking his fist at her retreating back.

"I don't need any tricks! Hey, don't you turn your back on me! Ooh, she steams my circuits!" 

"That's because you've met one of the few people who can match you on attitude. Not only is she the same model, she's a girl."

"Quit your yapping! Let's go show her what Robattling's all about!"

Larry looked out over the rooftops of Japan being bathed in the reddish glow of the afternoon sun. As the sun sank lower, the huge emblem of the Medabot Corporation cast a shadow over the ledge where he was sitting. The roof was one of the few places he felt completely at ease, probably because no one knew he was up here. So it came as a huge surprise when he heard someone calling his name from the other end of the roof. He looked around the corner of the ledge he was sitting on, and spotted Brass. He gave a low whistle, and called her over.

"Who told you where to find me? No wait, nevermind. Remind me to tell Sheena the meaning of secret when I get home."

"Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened before. I know you would never let anything happen to Erika."

"And I don't intend to. If there's no other way…I'll hand over Sheena's medal."

"I hope it won't come to that. Larry, I want to ask you a favour."

"Okay, name it."

"Teach me how to fight properly. Erika never fights Robattles unless she has to, so I'm pretty inexperienced."

"Well, I've got a whole day and Sheena's over at Ikki's place, so why not?"

"Thanks. Friends?"

"Yeah." 

Today's Robattle: Ikki and Larry defeat the RubberRobos, but will they have what it takes when it comes to crunch time? What has happened to Erika? And what is the secret behind the Melded Medal?


	5. A Dangerous Gamble

****

The Will Of The Medafighter

Chapter Five: A dangerous gamble.

"Come on, stop squirming!"

"Let me go. I swear that if I get out of here, I will…" A slap echoed through the empty cell, and Erika was thrown inside on the cold stone floor.

"You'll what? You'd better hope your boyfriend coughs up his medal, or you'll never see the end of tonight." The door slammed shut and a key turned in the lock. Erika sat shivering in the corner, pulling her knees to her chin.

"Ikki, Brass, Larry…Where are you?" Silent tears poured down her cheeks as she watched the sun set through the window.

Larry and Brass marched to the field where Larry was going to meet the leader of the RubberRobos. As he got there, he found not only Sheena, but also Space Medafighter X and Arcbeetle, Ikki and Metabee, Karin and Neutronurse, Koji and Sumillidon, Samantha and Peppercat, Sloan and Terminator, Spike and Proctordog, Rintaro and Kantaroth, and standing near a tree was Rokusho and Baton. Sheena looked at him with what could be called anticipation or fear in her eyes.

"Well Larry, I brought the cavalry if we need them."

"Sheena, they didn't need to get involved. If there's no other way, I'll have to give them your medal."

"Hey, I don't know you! If this was the Larry I knew, he would be thinking of a plan, not thinking of defeat."

"Look, there's no way I can change the stakes. He's holding all the cards." 

"Not all of them. Larry, I have the perfect plan worked out." Space Medafighter X stepped forward.

"Rokusho, me and Ikki have rare medals. Even though the melded medal will be chief in his mind, he won't be able to resist the temptation to get ours as well. All of us will robattle him. If he wins, he will get all of our medals. If we win, we get Erika back and you get to keep your medal."

"But what about them?" Larry pointed his thumb at The Screws, Rintaro, Karin and Koji.

"They are here only for the show. Your reputation proceeds you." Rintaro made himself heard from the back.

"Yeah, you're awesome dude! If it wasn't for that one match, you'd be number one!" 

"You know about that match?"

"Sure dude. I know everything about just about every single thing that has happened in the world of robattling." The Screws mostly were silent, but Samantha spoke for all three.

"You'd better make this a good one. I won't be happy if two-thirds of our World Cup team lose their medals." Koji and Sumillidon stood up and gave their support as well.

"You can't lose your medal. You owe me a rematch at the world championship." Karin, much to the amazement of everyone, gave Larry a quick peck on the lips.

"That's for good luck. Erika is my best friend, get her out."

"Okay X. Who's battling?"

You, Ikki, Rokusho and myself."

"Rokusho, are you willing to give up your medal?"

"No I'm not. But I'm confident that we will win." The small group made their way towards the open field.

"My my, what rabble is this?" The leader of the RubberRobos was there in person. Doctor Medaevil sat in a chair next to Erika. Erika was tied to her chair, and several sharp knives stuck out at several intervals along her arms. Space Medafighter X looked down on the short man, his eyes burning behind his mask.

"I have a proposition for you."

"Oh, you think you have the power to bargain?"

"How about getting the melded medal, plus three rare medals thrown in?"

"Hmm, tempting. Just what do I have to do to get them?"

"You shall robattle Ikki, Larry, Rokusho and myself. If you win, the medals are yours. If we win, you let Erika go." Doctor Medaevil let out a grating laugh that scared the non-fighters back a few steps.

"Very well. It shall give me the opportunity to test out my new Medabot. However, I have one more rule to add. You will notice the knives located near her arms. Well, for every Medabot you lose…a knife will cut into her skin. When the last Medabot falls and I don't get my medals, the final knife cuts right through her wrist. She will bleed to death within minutes." Larry shook visibly with rage, but tried to keep his voice calm and level.

"Alright. Bring out your Medabots. And you'd better keep your part of the deal."

"Oh, I'll need only one. Prepare to meet your end at the hands of my finest creation yet!" 

From the sky, the whirl of helicopter blades became audible. As it flew over the field, a large object was dropped, and it hurtled closer to the ground. It landed with a crash that made the entire field shake. The group looked up in horror at the thirty foot Medabot before them. Two huge Gatling cannons protruded from its arms, while two missile packs on both its thighs and shoulders glinted in the evening light. No eyes were visible, only a thin red line near its helmet.

Omega Emperor

Weapon Type Medabot

Medafighter: Doctor Medaevil

Speciality: Annihilation

Sheena and Metabee, though daunted, stood ready.

"This guy's huge!"

"Don't bail on me now Sheena. Remember what they say about big bots."

"Yeah. The bigger they are, the harder they punch."

"That's not it!"

"But it is true. Well Bee boy, it's crunch time. Either we beat this tank, or we lose our medals trying."

"Too true. This is the kinda fight I like. No rules…"

"No turning back. It's all or nothing!" Rokusho took off his cloak and told Baton to wait for him with the others. Space Medafighter X told the others to stay back before him and Arcbeetle got ready as well. Larry turned to doctor Medaevil, his face set with grim determination.

"Whenever you're ready."

"Very well. Omega Emperor…Destroy them!" The huge Medabot gave two strides forward, before sweeping the ground before him with Gatling fire. The four Medabots scarcely got out of the way, before four volleys of missiles were sent at them. Sheena, Metabee and Rokusho dodged, but Arcbeetle got caught in one of the blasts.

"Warning. Body 50% damage." Suddenly, four different coloured auras lit up the field. Sheena stood framed in blue, next to Metabee in green, Rokusho in purple and Arcbeetle in red. Koji watched in triumph from the other end of the field.

"Yes, this is it! All four have summoned the Medaforce. Nothing will survive that."

All four Medabots stared at Omega Emperor, the energy crackling around them.

"You do not mess with my friends. It's time…to kiss your bot goodbye! Medaforce!" Metabee brought his Laser cannon down and a blast of green energy issued from it.

"Nobody kidnaps my Medafighter's girlfriend. Yippee-ki-yay! Medaforce!" Sheena did the same as Metabee, and a stream of blue energy blasted from her cannon.

"You took away my life, now I will return the favour. Medaforce!" Rokusho swept his Transpara Sword along the ground and a wave of purple energy flew at Omega Emperor.

"This is for those missiles! Medaforce!" A ball of red energy formed between Arcbeetle's horns and he discharged it at Omega Emperor. All four attacks struck at the same time, and an explosion threw up dirt in front of the Medabots. Larry looked on, with hope starting to return.

"Did we do it?" Harsh laughter from behind the dirt made him cringe.

"If you think that was enough to destroy my Omega Emperor, you are sorely mistaken. Now, your Medabots are drained, and you will pay for challenging me. Omega Emperor, annihilate them with extreme prejudice!" 

The huge Medabot emerged unscathed from the dust, moving at high speed towards the drained Medabots. 

"Annihilate…Destroy." Two mortars launched from its back. Sheena pushed Metabee out of the way, before jumping out of the line of fire herself. But Rokusho and Arcbeetle got the brunt of the blast. Rokusho struggled to get up, but failed.

"Warning. Arcbeetle- Weapons offline, all Medaparts 93% damage."

"Sheena! Get those two out of the firing line. They can't fight anymore."

"But what about Metabee?" Ikki and Metabee were still dodging missiles and Larry made up his mind.

"They're doing fine, get Arcbeetle and Rokusho to safety…" Larry was interrupted by a loud scream rending the air. He slowly turned and stared in distress at Erika. The first two knives had sliced into her upper arm and near her elbow. A small pool of crimson blood was forming on the floor.

"Erika! I'm going to rip you apart Medaevil!" Forgetting the robattle, Larry rushed the old man. However, he was knocked back by a vicious uppercut from the good doctor. Shaking off the dizziness, he saw that Medaevil had a Hammer Claw attached to his arm. 

"What the…? That's a boxing medapart, how did you…?" 

"Larry…He's a Medabot!" Erika's voice was coming out slightly cracked, and Larry made a fist. His nails started digging into the skin of his palm.

"I will make you regret this."

"How? You've lost two Medabots, and yours is off taking them away. Your friend is about to be crushed." Metabee was starting to wear out. He had caught a few Gatling bullets, and his legs were starting to give in. 

"C'mon you big tin can! That all you got?" Rockets pounded the ground behind him, knocking him off balance. Before he could recover, a hail of Gatling fire smashed his leg parts.

"Warning. Leg parts 100% damage. Function ceased." Omega Emperor stopped in front of Metabee.

"Annihilate. Total Destruction Missile!" Two huge cylinders emerged from its hips and two puffs of smoke marked the launch of the missiles. Ikki closed his eyes and waited for the end.

"Larry, I'm back!" Sheena ran back onto the field. One look summed up the situation.

"Sheena…Take the hit!"

"Say what?"

"It's my fault. I got Ikki involved in this. You've got a small chance of surviving, as you've got no damage. If those missiles hit him, he'll be destroyed!" Sheena nodded sadly, and stood in front of Metabee.

"Sheena, this is crazy! The area effect of those missiles will get me, no matter what you do."

"No. Those missiles are meant for destruction. There is no area explosion. They explode in one, concentrated burst."

"But you won't survive." This was the only thing he could say, as the next minute, the missiles met their target. There was a huge explosion, and the light could be seen in the city. When it subsided, Metabee looked around for Sheena. She was lying on the grass, a few feet away. Amazingly, she was still in one piece, though her armour had been scorched black and large sections of it had been blown away.

"Warning. Head- 99.9% damage. All other Medaparts 100% damage. Weapons offline Targeting computer offline. Core overheating. Please shut down." Medaevil stood up in triumph.

"This is useless. Hand over your medals now!" Ikki transferred a spare pair of legs to Metabee and looked defiantly at Medaevil, hoping that Sheena was alright.

"No. We've still got one functioning Medabot."

"Well, give me the medals or she will die. I tire of watching this hopeless battle. No? Well then, I guess there is no other way." With one push of a switch, the final and fatal blade cut through Erika's wrist. She didn't even scream, as she had already lost too much blood, and had fallen into unconsciousness. But the crimson pool beneath the chair immediately started growing. Larry looked up from where he was helping Sheena getting up, and jumped up immediately. 

"ERIKA!! You…Murdering scum!" Ikki and Metabee tried to do something, but they were knocked back. Space Medafighter X could see that Medaevil had erected a barrier around himself and Erika.

"Metabee, Seeker missiles!" It was useless. The missiles exploded against the barrier, but didn't break it. Just then, the situation looked bleak. Sheena was all but scrapped, Rokusho and Arcbeetle are out of commission and Metabee is now alone in facing the huge Omega Emperor…

Today's Robattle is still undecided. Will anyone be able to stop the onslaught of Omega Emperor? Can Erika still be saved? And will Ikki and the rest lose their medals?


	6. True Power Revealed

**The Will Of The Medafighter**

**Written by Dark Knight Bahamut**

Chapter Six: True power revealed.

Sheena slowly opened her eyes.

"Man, that was no picnic. Larry, what's up? We didn't lose, did we?"

"…."

"What's wrong? Wait…He didn't?" Larry merely nodded, tears falling down his face.

"That…That bastard! Larry, I might be slightly banged up, but I will fight until my Medaparts give in. Let's do it!" Larry wiped his sleeve over his face, and grabbed Sheena's hand, pulling her up. Then, they stood in front of Omega Emperor.

"Yo Sheena, good to have you back."

"Well Bee boy, you need me. Who else is going to win this battle?" Larry pushed Ikki and Metabee back.

"Guys, this is my fight."

"But you can't fight with Sheena. You'll only get her destroyed." Sheena also agreed with Larry.

"We've stuck together through a lot. And I'll fight until this guy is beaten." Ikki and Metabee respected their wishes and stood some length away.

Larry now vented all of his pent up anger and rage on Medaevil, but kept his voice calm.

"Prepare to meet your end. You will learn that you do not hurt my friends, let alone the ones I love." Suddenly, there was a flash of blue light that appeared to come from within Larry. He stood next to Sheena, but he was surrounded by an incredible aura of blue energy. Sheena didn't seem to notice this, and spoke to Medaevil with a cold voice.

"When you broke Larry's heart by hurting Erika, you made the biggest mistake of your life. He won't give up, and as long as he can keep going then so can I, even when my Medaparts have been destroyed. I won't give up!" The same happened to Sheena, and both Medabot and Medafighter were surrounded by the blue aura. Larry took off his Medawatch and threw it to Ikki who caught it.

"Okay Sheena, let's just go with the flow. Three…"

"Two…"

"One…" Then, in perfect unison the pair shouted one word:

"MEDAFUSION!"

Ikki watched in amazement as Larry and Sheena appeared to be magnetised. They drew together, and the light became blinding. So much so, that no one could see what was going on inside. Larry's Medawatch suddenly gave a strange beep and he looked at it.

"Phantom, Metabee! Look at this." The watch was showing a diagram of Larry and Sheena.

"DNA match found. Link-up established. Generating nerve pathways and impulses. Weapon systems online. Weapons charged. Armour repaired. HMF on standby."

"So…It is finally happening."

"What is?"

"Larry and Sheena have unlocked one of the two hidden powers in the melded medal. The Medafusion."

The light cleared and a strange sight stood before them. A six foot tall Medabot that still had Sheena's design, but that was where the resemblance ended. Its armour was crystal white, and seemed to have grown thicker. It had no normal weapons, but a katana was hanging from its back. Long white hair spilled from beneath its head armour and instead of LED's, this one had real eyes.

 When it spoke, the voice was a strange combination of Larry's and Sheena's.

"Alright, Let's do this.

Doctor Medaevil was slightly surprised, but didn't feel scared.

"So, you have the power of the Medafusion. It won't save you. Omega Emperor, destroy them completely!" The giant Medabot launched two more huge missiles at the fused Medabot. As quick as a flash, the fused Medabot's katana sliced through the one missile, before it punched the second one out of the way. It went hurtling over the field and exploded far from the battle. For the first time, fear clutched at the old cyborg's heart.

"Kill them! Hit them with everything you have!" Omega Emperor launched everything he had left, including seven Total Destruction missiles, twenty-seven mortars, fifty regular missiles and fired his Gatling guns dry.

"Phantom, what is the Medafusion?"

"If the ancient rumours are true, then the Melded Medal holds two powerful abilities. The first is the Medafusion. When the bond between a Medabot with the medal and its Medafighter is strong enough, and they are determined to stay with each other until the end, they can literally become one and fuse into a super Medabot. Although even a fused Medabot will have trouble surviving that onslaught."

"And the second power?"

"Let us hope that it won't be revealed. The writings stated that if the ultimate power was ever unlocked, it would either destroy the world or save it." Ikki swallowed nervously and watched the outcome of the battle.

The dust and smoke cleared and nothing was left where the fused Medabot had stood. Doctor Medaevil laughed maniacally.

"It seems the melded medal is overrated. Now, give me my medals!"

"Yo Gramps! If that's the best your hunk of junk can do, I'd suggest you start begging for mercy." The fused Medabot emerged from one of the huge craters. It didn't have one scratch, and casually brushed some dirt off its armour.

"No, it can't be! You should have been vaporised."

"Well, I'm not your run of the mill Medabot. You can call me Overdrive."

Turning to the barrier, Overdrive steadied his katana in front of him. Suddenly, blazing electricity erupted from it.

"Raiden Wave!" Overdrive swiped the sword downwards, a huge wave of power issuing from it. The barrier gave in with a flash of black energy. Larry knew that Erika would be safe, if she was still alive. Even in his robotic form, he felt a chill of fear. Every second going by meant one second less for her. Medaevil tried one last attack. He jumped onto Omega Emperor's back and linked himself with it. Omega Emperor walked forward, his weapons fully recharged. Overdrive eyed him with anger apparent in his grey eyes.

"I'm sorry Omega Emperor. But I have to do it. Medaevil, the souls of the Medabots you took over and misused will haunt you forever!"

"These things don't have souls. They are here to be used."

"You're wrong! The bond between a medafighter and his Medabot is something you can never comprehend. I'm the proof!" A beam of white light struck them from the sky and exploded into a rainbow of colours. Overdrive stood framed in a dark blue aura. The sheer power emanating from him made Medaevil pause, even though Omega Emperor was twenty-four feet taller than his enemy was.

"It can't be true! That power will be mine!"

Overdrive sheathed his sword and struck his arms out to his sides. Two huge globes of energy, each about the size of a dinner table, appeared in his hands.

"You want this power?" He slammed both his hands together, forcing the globes into one. It suddenly grew to frightening proportions. It was now the size of a regular house.

"Then take it, if you can handle it! Hyper Medaforce!" A beam so intense it hurt Ikki's eyes just to look at it, was fired from Overdrive's hands. As it caught Omega Emperor, Overdrive was buffeted backwards a foot or two by the sheer size and force of the wave. It completely encompassed the huge Medabot and it exploded in a huge fireball. Medaevil was caught in the blast as well, since he couldn't disconnect himself in time. When the blast vapour had cleared, nothing was left of Omega Emperor but a huge, smoking and charred wreck. Medaevil was nowhere to be seen.

"Is that it?" Ikki and Metabee stared speechlessly at the sight before them. Space Medafighter X bowed his head.

"Yes. So the writings have come to pass."

"Start making sense. What just happened?"

"The ultimate power became unsealed. Larry used the Hyper Medaforce. It is a greatly strengthened version of the normal Medaforce. It not only focuses all of the Medabot's energy, but also its spirit and will to live into one enormous burst. And not only the Medabot. The Medafighter also focuses his energy, emotions and soul into the same attack. The result is an unstoppable attack, one that is comprised of two of the strongest things in the universe: Friendship and trust. However, there is one drawback. Every time they use it, Larry runs the risk of killing himself, because he might break his mind in gathering the energy necessary."

"Hey, look at them!" The bright aura vanished, and Sheena and Larry became two people again. Larry fell to his knees in exhaustion, feeling as though he run a mile and then gone three rounds with Mike Tyson. He managed to catch Sheena before she fell to the ground.

"Sheena, you're not the only tired one."

"I think I'll just go beddy-bye for a while. See you." Just as Ikki and Metabee reached them, Sheena deactivated and her medal ejected. Larry caught it in his hand and looked at it. Even though he was exhausted, he still managed a look of surprise. Sheena's medal was morphing before his eyes. The front morphed into a complete Hercules Beetle, while the back turned into a Mermaid medal. Larry gave it to Ikki and then grabbed him by his collar and pulled him down so that they were face to face.

"Ikki…Save Erika for me. I'm just going to take a quick nap." That was all he managed, and then he passed out.

Today's Robattle. Overdrive beats Omega Emperor using the Hyper Medaforce, saving the world while he was at it. But is it too late for Erika?


	7. The End of the Beginning

**The Will Of The Medafighter**

**Written by Dark Knight Bahamut**

**Author's Note: Well, who would have thunk it? After close to a year, I've finally finished this fic. Thanks to everyone, who took the time to read it, and review it. But, if you enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it, I'm glad to announce it doesn't stop here. Check the bottom of the fic for more info.**

Epilogue: The End of the Beginning

Ikki sat nervously in the waiting room, Metabee and Brass with him. Doctor Akki had explained to the doctor on duty what had happened, before leaving. He took Sheena with him and promised to get her back in shape. Larry had been taken to Observation, while Erika had been rushed to the ICU. That was three days ago, and was starting to get nervous.

"Cheer up Ikki. I'm sure they'll pull through."

"I hope so Metabee. That doctor didn't look too hopeful when he saw Erika." The door opened and Doctor Yonkawa strode into the room. His face was neutral, not revealing whether the news he brought was good or bad. He looked at the clipboard in front of him.

"Ikki Tenrio?"

"Yes that's me. How are they doing?"

"Well, they'll both be fine. Larry has only suffered major exhaustion and a slight head injury. We had to give Erika a blood transplant, but she should recover in the next two days."

"Whew, that's a relief. Come on you two, let's go see how Doctor Akki is going on rebuilding Sheena." Brass stayed in her seat, and turned to doctor Yonkawa.

"I'd like to go stay with Erika until she wakes up."

"I don't see why not. But she won't be very good company."

"That's fine. Thank you." Ikki and Metabee left the hospital and headed for the Medabot Corporation.

"So, the time has finally come..."

"Yes. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it." Doctor Akki stared at the Melded Medal underneath the electron microscope. Phantom Renegade stood in the shadows, the greenish light from the tubes that held the rare medals casting an eerie glow over his mask.

"But it doesn't look like the one in the pictures."

"I know. The medal evolved after the battle with Medaevil. Bit by bit, the prophecy is coming true."

"Did Medaevil survive?"

"I found no trace of him, so he was either vaporized or he got away. What bothers me the most is that I can only begin to think what his plan is."

"So can I. And for once in my life, I'm hoping that I'm wrong."

"A recreation of the Ten Days Of Darkness...He must be mad!"

"If that prophecy comes to pass, then the Darkness will seem like a picnic. The medal must be protected at all costs." Their conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Hello?"

_"I've finished repairing that Metabee you brought in Doctor Akki. All I need now is the medal."_

"Thank you Miss Caviar. I'll bring it up in a few minutes." He put the phone down and stared at the medal. It reflected slightly in the green light.

"Hard to think this could be the thing which destroys the world."

"Looks can be deceiving doctor." Doctor Akki pocketed the medal and marched out of the basement.

**That which was once buried, will be exhumed**

**That which once created, will awake**

**That which was burnt, will be reformed**

**In the time when the world is close to its end**

**The chosen ones**

**Will become one**

**Unsealing the ultimate power with it**

**And bring salvation...or destruction**

Larry jerked awake and sat up straight. The words were still flashing before his eyes, as if they had been branded there. Slowly, his vision cleared and he stared around the ward. It was empty and quiet, the only light coming from the open door leading to the corridor. The ache in his body had diminished to a dull throbbing. He got up and stumbled out into the corridor. He merely managed to glance to his left and wonder where Erika's room was before he heard metallic footsteps coming rapidly from his left. Next thing Larry knew, a heavy object smashed into his side and knocked him to the floor.

"Sheena! You're okay, Cough And let go of my neck, I need air!" The Medabot released her Medafighter from the crushing hug she had put him in and allowed him to stand up. Larry managed to put the words that had come to him behind him and decided to rather spend his time talking to his Medabot.

"Man, you're looking better than before."

"I know. Your Medabot was serviced by none other than the head of the Medabot Corporation's research department." She suddenly looked him up and down. "And you? You're alright, aren't you?"

Larry laughed, slapping his Medabot on the back. "Take's a lot to bring me down. Who brought you over?"

"Doctor Akki. He dropped me on the way to some meeting. You've been out for two days, you know that?"

Larry felt shocked. "Two days? It was really that long?"

"Yup. Now, how about you sign yourself out and we get home? The other top medafighters aren't lying around, they're preparing for the tournament. It's only another three days, then we show the world what we're made of."

"We'll leave as soon as I find Erika and know how she's doing."

Sheena shook her head. "Erika was released yesterday, hey-hey, don't look like that," She quickly responded, seeing his face drop. "She's been waiting since she was let go. She just went home cause Brass forced her to go take a bath and get some food. For such a sweet Medabot, she sure can be pushy."

Larry chuckled, walking towards the front desk. "At least she still has sweetness going for her. You, on the other hand, you're just plain pushy."

Sheena shook her fist at him as the nurse handed him a piece of paper to sign. "Hey, you want to see just how pushy I can be? Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a hospital patient."

"And there you just proved my point..."

"Why you...!" Sheena jumped her medafighter, and the next minute, the two of them were involved in a no-holds barred wrestling match.

That was how Erika, Ikki and their Medabots found them when they entered the hospital. Larry was busy banging Sheena's head against the tile floor when Metabee remarked dryly "Hey, Ikki, guess we won't need to worry too much about these two in the WRC. They'll win the fight for us."

Larry looked up just as Sheena grabbed his nose, and he spoke with a nasal quality to his voice. "Iggi, Medabee! Led go of my dose, Sheeda!"

The two got up and Larry greeted Ikki with a handshake and Erika with a hug that made the others turn away in mild embarrassment.

As they left the hospital, Larry thought back to the words. __

_I don't know what that was all about, but something tells me I might find out in the next few days. But, _he thought looking at Erika, Brass, Ikki and Metabee. _Whatever is going to happen, I won't need to handle it alone._

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sheena asked from beside him.

"Nah, they're not worth that much. Ikki, let's see if you and your Medabot can keep up with the number two people in the world. Race you to my house."

Ikki turned to him, a smile on his face. "You're on. And don't count your chickens before they hatch, you might not be Number Two after this World Cup."

Larry started jogging, and Ikki did as well. "You're right, I might not be Number Two. I might be Number One after me and Sheena run you guys into the ground. Hey, look, it's Karin!"

Ikki skidded to a halt. "Where?" He realized the trick as soon as Larry and Sheena came sprinting past. "Hey, no fair!"

As the two boys and their Medabots ran ahead, Erika turned to Brass and muttered "Boys will be boys, no matter what age."

**THE END...FOR NOW**

**Second Author's Note: Well, I promised you more info, so here it is, in classic Hollywood Sales speak.**

_The Will of the Medafighter - The WRC Chronicles_

**This sequel is set almost directly after this fic. Larry and Sheena, as well as Ikki and Metabee have been through a lot, but do they have what it takes to topple the top medafighters in the world? Ikki wants to win the championship, but to do that, he might have to go through Team South Africa, which includes his friend Larry. Also in their way is the leading Team, Team Kenya, which also houses the only man higher than Larry in the rankings, the Number One medafighter, Victor. **

**Tempers begin to flare when Victor and Larry lock horns over some incident in their past, something that Larry has not forgotten, and definitely not forgiven. In the clash of the two top medafighters in the world, who will be left standing when the dust clears?**

**Finally, what is the mysterious prophecy that both the Phantom Medafighter and Doctor Akki are interested in. And Medaevil? Has he really been taken out of the equation, or is he still waiting to unleash something on the unsuspecting world?**

_The Will of the Medafighter – The Precursor Archives _

**This is the prequel to this fic, and takes place a year before the events of this story. Sheena and Larry didn't just pop out of the woodwork and become the number two team overnight. The story of their rise to fame is accounted in "The Will of the Medafighter – The Precursor Archives"**

**Up to and until the moment Larry Linford walked into "Jane's Medaparts and Junkyard" he was just your normal, average fourteen-year old. That was, until he met Sheena.**

**The rebellious Medabot is at first too stubborn to listen to him, which leads to a near-tragic robattle at school. When he finally breaks through to her, the two immediately begin training with revenge in mind against "The Bills", the gang of rich kids who nearly dismantled Sheena.**

**Meet the other two members of Team South Africa, and find out how they were chosen, as well as their memorable first meeting. **

**Finally, witness the climatic showdown that would decide who succeeded Yamira Tokonuka as the world's top medafighter. Larry and Sheena take to the arena in one – one – action against the number one medafighter from Kenya, Victor. The two are determined, but Victor isn't one to play clean, especially with so much at stake.**


End file.
